1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and particularly to a capillary retainer clip for securing capillary and other small diameter tubes within a refrigeration machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various refrigeration machines arranging in size from room air conditioners that are typically mounted in a window or through the wall to large commercial rooftop units often use capillary tubes as the expansion control device within a conventional refrigeration circuit. Other small diameter tubes are used for the various control mechanisms within the refrigeration machine. Particularly high and low pressure switches are actuated through a small diameter tube connected to the various components within the refrigeration machine at the point from which pressure is to be determined.
These various small diameter tubes may be free-standing within the machine between the connections at either end. When these tubes are free-standing there is potential for rubbing between themselves and between the tubes and the other internal components of the machine due to vibration during operation as well as other movement during transportation of the machine. The rubbing creates a possibility of the tubes being damaged or having holes worn therein. Typically refrigerant is contained within the capillary so that any damage to the capillary may result in loss of refrigerant for the refrigeration system or, if the damage is to a pressure sensing device, replacement of the device may be necessitated.
These capillary tubes have previously been secured within the refrigeration machine by the provision of a plastic clip that would encircle each capillary and be screwed to a component of the machine. Such apparatus requires a separate screw for each tube to be secured and for each location of that tube to be secured as well as requiring that the screw be removed if the capillary tube is to be removed from the equipment.